How To

How to Prime Yourself for a Promotion

How to Advance Your Career

share

share

by Matt Alderton |
October 10, 2017

If you want to advance your career, a promotion just might be the ticket. In order to get one, however, you've first got to prove that you are "promotable." And that starts with having a good work reputation, according to Glassdoor's Julia Malacoff.

"How people perceive you and your work is often the determining factor in whether or not you get a promotion, raise, or access to leadership opportunities," Malacoff says. "Unfortunately, there are a lot of elements that go into determining what your work reputation actually is, and they're not always easy to keep tabs on. The quality of your work matters, of course, but the small actions you take each day add up to create a bigger picture about who you are."

To position yourself for a promotion, avoid being a yes-man or -woman, advises Malacoff, who says you should focus on being valuable -- but not irreplaceable.

"It might seem like being game for anything and everything asked of you, despite being busy, is a surefire way to earn a stellar rep, but it can actually pigeonhole you into a specific job longer than you want to be there," Malacoff says. "Oftentimes, when people say yes to every single task presented to them, they are seen as so 'good' at their role that they become the only person who can do it … In a sense, they become so synonymous with the role that they're no longer considered for opportunities to move up. So instead of biting off more than you can chew, stick to projects that interest you and that you realistically have time to do."

Likewise, take care not to be perceived as a hotshot.

"Many people believe that working as hard as they possibly can and outperforming everyone else will put them on the fast track to success. [But] this isn't always true," Malacoff concludes. "Sucking up didn't work in grade school, and it also doesn't work in an office environment."